Paterson is a bus driver in the city of Paterson, New Jersey - they share the name. Every day, Paterson drives his daily route, writes poetry into a notebook, stops in a bar and drinks exactly one beer, and goes home to his wife, Laura. By contrast, her world is ever changing; new dreams come to her almost daily. The film quietly observes the triumphs and defeats of daily life, along with the poetry evident in its smallest details.